Printer woes

May 1, 2005 3:14 PM

Why does my Epson 670 print out multiple lines of strange characters instead of the document I send to it? It happens frequently, for no apparent reason.
posted by davebush to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

I've seen that happen on Epsons when data flow has been interrupted. Try unplugging it, removing all documents from your printer queue and then replugging it.
posted by jeremias at 3:30 PM on May 1, 2005

Are you connected using a USB or parallel cable? If the latter, it would indicate a dodgy connection and/or cable, and the printer is missing the command that puts it in the right mode. If it's USB, the connection should be a bit more robust, but a similar thing could happen.

Is this a new development?
posted by cillit bang at 3:59 PM on May 1, 2005

Wrong printer driver? Sending Postscript (or any other printer language that isn't PCL, or the wrong version of PCL) to a PCL printer will cause that input to be printed as text.

What operating system are you using? What printer driver?
posted by mendel at 4:57 PM on May 1, 2005

I've had the same thing happen from time to time with both my Epsons, but only very rarely (ie whenever time is of the utmost essence and I NEED it to print right NOW :-).
One is a photo 700, the other a photo 820. It's a pain when it happens, but a unplugging it, clearing the queue, and restarting it seems to fix it.

But I can't answer your question - I have no idea why it happens, just that it does. (Both mine use parallel cables).
posted by -harlequin- at 10:43 PM on May 1, 2005

If it's parallel, the cables are sensitive to RF garbage. You can test for that by wrapping tin foil around the cable, if it stops, that's the problem. The cables are shielded with aluminized mylar wrapped in a spiral pattern, and they nearly always fail just at the back of the printer where the cable comes out and falls down at a 90° angle. Point being, you don't have to wrap the whole stupid cable, just the first foot out of the back of the printer and the plug. That's assuming you don't just give up and buy a new one anyway.
posted by unrepentanthippie at 4:40 AM on May 2, 2005

Does it say something like "Ms Word" among the garbage being printed? If so, it's reading the file you sent over a straight text file instead of a formatted doc.

I've had that problem with other printers... and generally, I was able to fix it by turning the background spooling off.
posted by ph00dz at 5:30 AM on May 2, 2005